Metallic coffin



.A guur orrren.

ISAAC C. SHUIJER, OF AMSTERDAM, NEW YORK.

METALLIC COFFIN.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 23,616, dated April 12, 1859.

To @ZZ whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, Isaac C. SHULER, of Amsterdam, in the county of Montgomery and State of New York, have invented sundry Improvements in the Construction of Air-Tight Sheet-Metal Collins; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which makes a part of this specification and which represents a vertical longitudinal section of a sheet-metal cofiin embracing my improvements.

My improvements consist, in general terms, in modes of stiening the walls and concealing the joints of sheet-metal coffns.

In order that others may be enabled to construct sheet metal collins, embracing my improvements, I append'the following description of my mode of procedure, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

The metal I propose to use is galvanized sheet-iron, well known for its durability and strength. The sides and ends (a, a., a, (1,) are shaped and put together in any desirable outline suitable for the purposes of a coffin, with soldered air-tight joints. The upper edges of these walls, being out out flush for the purpose, are bent over by proper machinery, forming a triangular chamber (CZ) having a groove (ZL) in its upper surface-the portion marked (c, c, e, e) being bent down close to, but not touching the planes (a, a, a, a). This structure is then inverted, and molten metal is poured into the triangular chamber (cZ) filling it not quite up to the edge of the part and then allowed to cool. When the molten metal has become hard, I turn over the portion of (e) which was not filled, on to the fusible metal, and close the passage at which the molten metal entered. This done, I solder one or more of the longitudinal stiffening pieces (a) to the sides, which helps to stiffen the walls, and more especially makes a permanent fastening through which to rivet the handles. I then roll up the lower edges of the walls (a) which are left flush for this purpose, into a flat scroll Z), Z2, b) with as many thicknesses as may be desirable (depending on the size of the coilin), alternately soldering and hammering the scroll together. This scroll being mitered at the breaks, and put in proper shape, I set the whole structure (thus far completed) into a shallow tray or pan, (0, o, c) which is larger by about a quarter of an inch all around than the structure set into it. I then fill with molten metal the space (m, m, 712,) by which the inside surface of the sides of the tray exceeds the outside surface of the walls (a, a, a, co). The stiftening pieces (Z, Z, Z) may then be soldered on in any desired shape. A rim of sheet metal (f) is then applied to the outside surface of the upper edges of the walls, being left open at the top, and, after being soldered at the bottom, is filled with molten metal, even full.

The cover of this box is made with two sheets (0 and p), one above the other, but coinciding at their outer edges as seen in the drawing, the lower sheet (2J) having a bead pressed or rolled in its lower surface which fits the groove (ZL), leaving a joint to be soldered at the outer edge of the groove (Zz) after the corpse has been placed in the coffin. In order to cover the soldered joint thus exposed after the corpse has been sealed in the coffin, I attach by hinges (la) to an entire cast frame (j) fixed on the upper sheet (0) of the cover, the lids of which there are as many as the peculiar shape of the coiiin may render necessary in order to raise them off the joint for the purpose of soldering in the corpse. The coffin thus constructed may then be painted in imitation of rosewood, mahogany, or with any desired color.

The advantages of these modes described consist in the thorough combination of the increase of strength, durability, security and beauty in the structure of air tight metallic collins.

Having thus described my improvements, and the mode of using them, what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. I claim the arrangement of fastening the flange or lower edge of the walls of a sheet metal cofiin in a` tray or pan (c) which forms the bottom, and which exceeds the circumference of the walls by a narrow chamber (m) which may be filled with molten metal for stiffeuing the base; also the strengthening bars (Z, Z, Z) for stiffening the bottom of the tray, substantially as described.

2. I claim the arrangement of scrolling or doubling over the flush lower edges of the walls of a sheet-metal coffin, ,soldering consecutively each fold of the sheet-metal, thus p substantially as described.

4:. I disclaim an entire frame for covering the joint of the airtight lid of a sheet metal any bisected sliding cover, these being claimed elsewhere; but I claim the hinged lids (z' z') .as applied to the joint in different sections for the purpose of allowing a greater walls, substantially as described.

support -of the coin handles.

ISAAC C. SCHULER.

Vitnesses H. N. I-IADLEY, B. F. BLOOD.

l co'flin with the coffin walls; I also disclaim 15 number of ornamental breaks in the coilin 20 5. I claim the frame (n a n n) for the 

